At first I wasn't certain this one was going to be as good as the previous books in series, but then, as will all his books, you just don't know where it's going to go. Stockwin has the ability to put you in the time with solid information (more about the sea and sailing in a tall ship then you ever thought you'd know), with an interesting story and characters that you care about and want to know what happens to them. Thomas Kydd is one of the geat characters of contemporay fiction. ( )

Wikipedia in English

Thomas Kydd was promoted to acting lieutenant at the bloody Battle of Camperdown in October 1797. Now, he must sit an examination to confirm his rank - or face an inglorious return before the mast. But this is only the first of many obstacles for a man who was pressed into the King's Service and discovered a calling for the sea. Kydd is from humble origins, yet he attains the lofty heights of the quarterdeck as an officer in His Majesty's Navy. If he is to avoid spending the rest of his career as a tarpaulin officer, he must also become a gentleman. Kydd and his enigmatic friend Nicholas Renzi set sail in HMS Tenacious for the North American station. Aboard the old 64-gun ship, Kydd comes to doubt he will ever match up to the high-born gentlemen officers.